Actor Akshay Kumar meet CM, to shoot director Balki’s film in Maheshwar

BHOPAL: Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and director R Balki met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at his official residence, on Saturday. The meeting was formal though, Balki, the ``Cheeni Kum'' helmer has roped in Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan for his next slice-of-life film which is yet to be announced, said official sources in the CM office.
As per media reports, the film will also mark Akshay’s reunion with Bachchan Senior ten years after the duo shared screen space in Rajkumar Santoshi’s `Family'.The filmmaker will be shooting sometime next year at various locations in Maheshwar and Omkareshwar, near Indore, for which they had requested the chief minister for administrative and police support, sources said adding, the director-producer has also assured to accommodate local talent in the film.
''Renowned actor Akshay Kumar and director R Balki paid a courtesy visit today. They want to shoot their new film near Omkareshwar and Maheshwar. I told them that government will always encourage film making in the state and will provide all possible support'', chief minister Chouhan told reporters after the meeting.
Later, Chouhan also introduced Khiladi Kumar to a group of children who had come to the chief minister's residence to shoot a photo album on government schemes. Akshay met the urchins and also had a snap with them. The chief minister's office also tweeted the meeting and pictures with Khiladi Kumar on CM's official twitter handle saying, ``Renowned film actor Mr Akshay Kumar and film director R Balki called on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhanan at his official residence''.
Chouhan tweeted the pictures and a message which reads, ``Shared these delightful moments with young children along with Mr Akshay Kumar today at my residence''. Sources close to Balki said that this was the first collaboration between ad-man turned-filmmaker and Khiladi Kumar, which will kick off in 2017. After exploring various aspects of the human condition through films like Cheeni Kum, Paa, Shamitabh and, more recently, Ki And Ka, Balki has also teamed up with Akshay and Big-B for the first time.
Currently, Kumar is shooting for `Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' alongside Bhumi Padnekar in Uttar Pradesh. After meeting chief minister Chouhan Kumar left for Mathura by a chartered flight. Officials said that government had been encouraging filmmaking in the state and decided to set up a film city soon. In past years film directors like Santosh Sivan (Ashoka), Sooraj R Barjatya (Ek Vivah Aisa Bhi), Prakash Jha (Rajniti, Jai Gangajal and Satyagrah) have shot films at various locations.